Oakley Boughregard
"That's a joke son! Laugh! I do declare, laughing's good for the soul!" - The wit and wisdom of Oakley Boughregard Colonel Oakley Treeberius Boughregard is one of the main protagonists (?) of the alpha campaign of Contested Legacy/Lineage and supporting character of the beta campaign. In addition to being the self proclaimed "biggest patriot in Dixie", Colonel Boughregard is also an extremely wealthy land owner, slave owner, druid and journalist who achieved the status of national hero after his youthful exploits in the Southern-Halfling wars. He is boisterous, cantankerous, fearless, cunning, stubborn to the extreme, long-winded, fatherly and willing to make any sacrifice for the people he cares about. History Backstory Born the son of the wealthy planter and prominent Virginia legislator Treeberius S. Boughregard (the younger son of the famed Colonel Acornelius P. Boughregard), Oakley grew up a member of the Virginian elite. In spite of his family's wealth and influence the young Oakley along with his mother were often victims to the verbal and physical abuse of his father. He grew attached to his mother as a boy and found strength and inspiration in the stories she told him of the great southern heroes of the past. From his father he developed his belief in the supposedly inherit inferiority of gnomes that had long been kept as slaves by the Boughregrads and other wealthy Dixon families. Early life and Childhood Boughregard spent most of his formative years on his family's vast estate wondering through the fields and woods under the watchful eye of his mother. While his father was away his mother passed down the secrets of the druidic tradition to which the dryads of Dixie were heirs. His father spent most of young Oakley's childhood serving in the Virginia legislature but as his career began to dry up and as Oakley grew his father began to see his son as the medium through which his failed aspirations could bloom. Boughregard came to resent his father as the mannerisms of the washed up senator reminded him the unscrupulous villains of his mother's stories. Though Treeberius' vocal advocacy for Machiavellian politics disgusted the honor obsessed young man, Oakley grew to accept his father's views on slavery after being taken out at the age of 80 to whip a disobedient gnome. "I had never cried so much before in my life. I had heard the screams before but I had learned to drown them out. I had never thought I would be the one causing them. As time went on I began to agree with my father that gnome had deserved it but to this day I prefer to let the overseers do that sort of thing and to have them do it out of sight. Though I suppose pa's lesson still sunk in as I've never feared to shed blood when the occasion called for it." -Oakley on his father's lesson He does however have a few fond memories of his father and often reminisces of being taught how ride, shoot, sword fight, and box. As Oakley grew older he began to take on his father's gambling habit and earned a reputation for getting into wild shenanigans with the friends he made riding and betting at the tracks. However, Oakley began to rethink the direction his life was going once his father's health began to decline. After reading what the papers had written after Treeberius' death the young planter vowed that he would redeem his family's name and enlisted in the cavalry on the advice of his mother. Army Life Unbeknownst to him, Oakley's Uncle Stumpy used the family's wealth and influence to secure an officer's commission for his nephew and so Oakley began his career as a lieutenant rather than a member of the rank and file soldiery. He joined up with the 22nd Virginia Dragoons under the command of Colonel Garry Rowen and was stationed at Fort Superfluity in Barkansas Territory as tensions with the halfling population began to rise. The young lieutenant quickly earned the respect of his subordinates after as he demonstrated his reluctance to put his men through anything that he would not take part in himself. The Dixon-Halfling War Boughregard was an eye witness to the events that began the war and it was that experience first brought him to national attention. The Halfings had since decided that the presence of the Dryads threatened their nomadic hunter-gatherer way of life and the Dryad's refusal to vacate the land that both groups perceived as their's convinced the halfling Chief Stealyourgirl to lead his men on an assault on the nearby Fort Superfluity in the hopes of encouraging other tribes to join them in an attempt to push the Dryads out of the territory. The attack began at day break and the Halfing's 2000 quickly overcame Boughregard's platoon of 50 men. The halflings burned the fort and spared no one excepting Lieutenant Boughregard and some of the women of the fort in the hope that they could be used as hostages. Once imprisoned in the halfling's camp Boughregard began to plan a brake out for himself and the ladies. Using the druidic skills taught to him by his mother and in his army training Oakley was able to use his wildshape ability to shift into a mouse and slip out of his chains and cage. Following his plan he then changed into a tree and waited for the guard to pass by at nightfall in order to change back to normal and snap his neck from behind. Thinking quickly, Boughregard grabbed the key from the corpse and freed the other captives. From there he used his pass without a trace spell to aid in the escape but not before grabbing the captured dixon flag and setting the camp aflame. He then used his survival skills to lead the ladies back the nearest dixon settlement. Upon his return the young Lieutenant received a hero's welcome by the townspeople and was promoted to the rank of Captain. The newly promoted captain gained national attention and his image was used on recruiting posters to help spur enlistment. One of the new members of the 22nd Virginia was none other than Boughregard's cousin the newly commissioned Lieutenant Woodrow C. Boughregard III who quickly became Captain Boughregard's confidant and right hand. Together the two led their company to many victories against the halflings. However the captain eventually suffered a great personal tragedy as Chief Stealyourgirl killed his cousin in battle prompting the captain to swear the first of many blood oaths. The two finally met in single combat during the battle of Badatnames Plains. Upon seeing the Chief Boughregard immediately charged forth on his moose and rushed over to Stealyourgirl to challenge him to a duel. The Chief accepted and after a long fight Boughregard eventually slew the halfing and was promoted to Major. Broken Stem The finale of Major Boughregard's exploits in the war was the famous battle of Broken Stem. Major Boughregard and his company were waiting for the ferry in a small settlement near Broken Stem River to begin a 12 day ride to the territorial capitol when the son of Stealyourgirl, Chief Oneyouworryabout rallied the last of the halfling forces with the intention of crossing the river, burning the town, slaughtering its people, reaching the territory's capitol and taking its inhabitants hostage. With 3000 men the young Chief marched out ready to crush Boughregard and his 185. However, the Major quickly used his magic to erect spiked growths just before the advancing halfling's feet thus taking out much of the host. Boughregard then offered Oneyouworryabout an invitation to duel but was refused on the grounds that the halflings would not be satisfied until each and every dryad had been purged from the territory. The major would not be able to save the lives of his men by risking his own. Expecting a quick victory, Oneyouworryabout had hoped to overwhelm the dryads with superior numbers as they had at Fort Superfluity and so the men had been allowed to bring their families to attend to the troops with the intention of leaving them in the town while the men went on to the capitol. However, Boughregard had since found ways of overcoming superior forces. Once night fell scouts were sent into the enemy camp with blankets infected by the major's contagion spell . By dawn the camp had an epidemic on its hands. On the third day the 22nd began to bombard the camp with orbs of flame, thunderwaves, and plagues of insects. By the fifth day the party performing the siege effectively reversed. By the tenth day the dryads had run out of food and began to eat their moose in order to sustain the protein levels needed for photosynthesis. On the fifteenth day the company had begun to starve. Oneyouworryabout continued his attacks with increased ferocity but was rapidly losing men. On the twentieth day the major decided that since no help would come as the halflings had been shooting down their birds and since the halfling's numbers and morale had suffered greatly, it would be better to risk charging out for one last fight rather than to starve to death. So on the twenty first day the major and his men cast plant growth on themselves, growing to monstrous sizes. Though they quickly crushed the halfling army the starved and blood lusting soldiers failed to discriminate between the soldiers and their families. Though the major did feel remorse for the slaughter that he failed to prevent he was always proud of the fact that his men overcame what were considered insurmountable odds and the fact that he personally killed Oneyouworryabout. Boughregard was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel after the battle. Peace was concluded shortly after and the tribes that had participated in the war were exiled from Dixie while the rest were sent to Oaklahoma. Boughregard was finally promoted to Colonel as a parting gift from his superiors for his efforts in the war while the regiment was dubbed the "Immortal" 22nd. The colonel would later admit that he developed something of a respect for the halfling's soldiery and saw the conflict as one between his nation and their way life. In his view it was regrettable that the two peoples came to blows but that it was still his duty to deliver them on his country's behalf. Post War Years Upon his return to Boughregard County the Colonel was given a hero's welcome and offered many interviews, audiences with important officials, and speaking time in both Virginia's and Dixie's congresses. He was even given the Gubernatorial Medal of Honor. However, he was also greeted with tragedy as he learned that his beloved mother had passed and so he lived in his manor alongside his uncle who was still in mourning for his fallen son. However, a visit from Reverend Wheatfield lifted Boughregard's spirits and soon Dixie's most eligible bachelor was out attending cotillions again. While staying on the estate of Pan "Big Daddy" Le Baton the colonel was invited to attend a cotillion at the De La Plantain plantation for the debut of Basil G. De La Plantain's daughter Timberly. The colonel began courting her immediately after. "She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. She had such a sweet voice and look in her eyes. She had this way of getting you to want the things she needed before you even knew she needed them. She was my closest friend, my most loyal confidant, best of partners, wisest of councilors and the love of my life. Making her smile was my only ambition from the moment I saw her." -Oakley Boughregard on his wife They were married two years later and gave birth to their son Woodrow following year. Together the couple threw some of the grandest and most memorable parties in the state to celebrate every milestone and holiday. They entertained someone nearly every night and through Timberly's influence the family's wealth nearly doubled. They raised their son in the hope that he would grow up to be the kind of man that the colonel had idolized as a child and were determined that he not lack for any bit of affection or pleasure. However, they also believed it to be of paramount importance that Woodrow learn the skills of a solider, druid and planter just as his father had and was even made to repeat the same lesson that Boughregard's father had imparted on a young Oakley. One area of disagreement that existed between the two was the value of higher education as Timberly had seen her son's cleverness and was determined that it be fostered by those who knew how. Oakley on the other hand, was reluctant to entrust his son into the hands of strangers but eventually agreed to send him to VMI after the Boughregard's next child was born. However that ended in tragedy as neither Timberly nor the infant Magnolia survived the ordeal of birth. The Colonel was devastated by the losses and is said to have aged a century in only a few decades and retreated from his social circles while diving into his writing. Not even Reverend Wheatfield could rouse his spirits. "Maybe you'd feel better if you stopped being such a little BIIIIIITCH" -Wheatfield attempts to console Oakley It was around this time that Boughregard began to take an interest in politics and journalism and would often have his essays published in the Tidewater Tribune. Woodrow overtook most of the financial obligations of the estate once he finished school. The colonel's political activity culminated in the election of Donald J. Trunk for whom he had vigorously campaigned. Shortly after his election a slave of his by the name of Schmebulock ran off and the triumphant colonel vowed to hunt him down himself as the new ambassador to the north. The Death of Empress Euthane Using his druidic prowess Oakley was able to track Scmebulock to the Oresitan capitol. Though reluctant to set foot on northern soil the colonel's desire to preserve his record of never losing a slave along with his sense of duty beat of his prejudice. On the way to city Oakley encountered the funeral procession of Empress Euthan. It was as here that he met his guide to the ways of the North Lucentio Hapsberg. The two met as the procession was beset upon by assailants from the Goblin liberation front. With their skills combined, the duo was able to fend off the revolutionaries until the arrival of a sortie led by General Brassidas. Lucentio and Oakley used their magic to treat what wounded they could as they then entered the Imperial capital of Oresteria. The Imperial Capital Upon arriving in the capitol the two were immediately greeted by Lucentio's "boss" of sorts, the High Cleric of Loki (who they would later find out was actually Loki himself taking on human form as an elaborate joke of sorts), who instructed him of an important summons at the Grand Cathedral, where a mass was to be carried out in remembrance of the Late Empress followed by a discussion regarding her successor. After a hallucinogen-inspired sermon by The Grand Heirophant, two groups mounted the altar. On one side was the Faction of Crown Princess Shiryan, the Empress' daughter from an affair with a baker, and on the other side was the Faction of General Brassidas Plyiades (accompanied by a retinue of aristocrats including High Admiral Antiochus Sergia). Seeing this as an opportunity to learn something of the state of yankee politics and see if anyone knew anything about his missing gnome, Oakley began to converse with members of the two factions. The colonel immediately saw the Plyiadian faction as hostile to the traditions, democracy, peculiar institutions, and sovereignty of the South. He was however impressed at the liberal minded princess and the two proceeded to have a conversation about management styles and production styles (Though it is safe to say that the two were speaking different languages) The Colonel and Lucentio were offered accommodations by the princess which Oakley graciously accepted. They were brought by the chief of the city guard Ahmoses to what was thereafter referred to as The Tugboat. Lucentio was aghast at the apparent measly living accommodations, however he unfortunately had no choice but to settle. Chief Ahmoses bid them a "passable night" and left with one final warning to stay away from any downtown bars inhabited by members of The Midnight Crew. The Midnight Crew Lucentio, finding his quarters far too cramped, decided to head out for a night on the town, inviting the ever adventurous Oakley to tag along with him. The two headed to one of Oresteria's many entertainment districts to find a suitable pub. Lucentio came across one marked with the Four of Clubs, which he decided to enter. Ordering some wine for himself, he noticed that one corner of the bar was coated in a particularly thick layer of impenetrable darkness, which he approached coming face to face with the leaders of The Midnight Crew. The leaders reminded Lucentio of the colossal debt he owed them while Oakley inquired as to the whereabouts of Scmebulock to no avail. Lucentio offered that as a means to pay off his debt he could offer them an in on the bottom floor of the General's rising faction, they considered the idea, on one condition. The head leader Scipio informed Lucentio that his daughter Hypatia, a student at the local university, had been feeling uneasy lately, she was apparently being followed and harassed by unsavoury characters and Lucentio was asked to look into and potentially put a stop to that. Conceding, Lucentio asked if Oakley would be willing to assist. The colonel was very skeptical about getting involved with the northern mob but recognized that no gentleman could abide a lady being harassed and agreed to accompany the young noble in teaching her assailants a lesson. Croup and Vandemar Lucentio and Oakley's trip to the university began fairly uneventfully, they asked around for Hypatia, and were offered pamphlets for some radical new political movements and made their way over to Hypatia's TA office. The Colonel was initially impressed with these northern democrats but was crestfallen to learn that they were also abolitionists. As he was fuming the duo discovered the door swinging on its hinges and the entire office ransacked. Using his survivalist skills Oakley was able to track the struggle of Hypatia and what appeared to be two humanoid captors. They followed the path to a nearby sewer grate. Lucentio immediately expressed reluctance to delving into "such a ghastly place," only agreeing to enter if Oakley would carry him out of reach of the "icky sewer water." Oakley, conceded and the two descended in the sewers. Following an eastern tunnel the two eventually heard the sound of two voices deep in discussion. These belonged to two hired assassins Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar, who were debating how best to transport their captive to their client. Casting thaumaturgy Lucentio intended to threaten the hired hands to no avail. Seeing no peaceful alternative, Lucentio and Oakley slew the two demonic henchmen and untied Hypatia. She explained to the two that the one who had ordered her capture was none other than General Brassidas who had been sending countless unwelcome and unsettling "love notes." The Cold War Double-Crossing Lucentio and Oakley returned Hypatia to her father, for which he was deemed "square... for the time being." Lucentio wanted to see if perhaps a peaceful solution could be reached in making the General a more desirable person. Grabbing his books on High Fashion and High Fashion theory (written by himself) and a few accessories he headed off toward The Grand Fortress. The Makeover Arriving at the gate of Brassidas' Grand Fortress the previously sunny weather suddenly turned sordid and turbulent as Lucentio knocked on the great iron doors. Oakley was unimpressed by the inhospitable exterior. They were let in by Brassidas' automaton servant, Mr. Butlertron, who showed them the way to Brassidas' chambers. Lucentio interupted the general as he was putting some finishing touches on what appeared to be an automaton model of Hypatia. Ignoring that unsettling sight, Lucentio set to work trying to transform the General from Dud to Stud. After several hours of tireless work very little progress was made. Lucentio realized there was not much he could do, so in a last ditch attempt, he threw an elaborate military hat atop the General's greasy hair and fitted him in a dark military dress uniform in order to best hide the plethora of sweat stains. Meanwhile Oakley tried to hide his revulsion at all the unnatural experiments taking place in the castle. Taking solace in what little improvement he had made, Lucentio headed for home. As he and Oakley left the Fortress they were interrupted by Mr. Butlertron, who requested they bring him along with them, hating his current living conditions. Taking pity on the poor automaton, Lucentio gladly brought him home with them to the tugboat. The next day Lucentio and Oakley went to report their good news to Crown Princess Shiryan, who was pleased and informed the two that in the coming days they would be throwing a Grand Imperial Ball and Gala to secure the tenuous relationships she held with many powerful factions. Lucentio was placed on the planning committee thanks to his wit, charm, and knowledge of the ins and outs of the aristocracy's bizarre tastes. So he set off home to begin preparation. On the way home however, his and Oakley's journey was intercepted by an imposing and elaborate carriage. The door opened and out stretched a gloved hand which beckoned Lucentio to enter. Lucnetio's Kidnapping Riding in the carriage was none other than Lucentio's father Berthold who gave his son a stern warning only to have be kidnapped by Brassidass' men. Thinking quickly, Oakley convinced memebers of the Midnight Crew to aid him in rescuing Lecentio. After all, a dead Lucentio pays no debts. Upon Lucentio's rescue the two learned that Brassidas' men were keen on sacking the revolutionary's meeting place and carrying off Hypatia. The two rushed to evacuate them to the northern provinces where they would be safe. Mission to the Northern Provinces The two then headed off the the north in order to see if the northerners were willing to side with the princess. Waiting for them was none other than Count Von Hapsberg and his elder son Chauncey. Always willing to make a new friend the colonel extended his hand and commended the count on the bravery that his son had showed in the past few days. The count however was left aghast that a simple member of the gentry would dare act with such informality to a nobleman and preceded to brag about how his favorite son had been given command over the northern armies while declaring Lucentio to be a nothing more than a fop. He's not a fop! He's a dandy! -Colonel Boughregard stands up for his northern friend. The count was then roused to a furry after Oakley inquired to nature of Chauncey's experience and then expressed disapproval for his lack of it. The count ordered his minions to seize the two as Oakley conjured up his ever faithful Blights to meet the challenge. The groups fought briefly but the city guard eventually put a stop the ordeal. Upon arrival,the Colonel quickly charmed the soldiers with some war stories and volunteered to undertake a raid or two on their behalf. Along with Lucentio, the Colonel was able to take out a platoon of rampaging Orcs but was unfortunately knocked out. Luncetio then healed him and the two returned back to receive a hero's welcome. After this the two were able to convince the north to side with the princess. They then deiced to head south to see if the CSD was willing to enter into this alliance. The CSS Virginia Stopping off at the capitol Oakley was elated to learn that the high cleric of Loki had found Schmebulock. Leading Lucentio and Oakley into a temple Oakley immediately grabbed the now cleric of Loki Schmebulock and proceeded to attempt an exit. Loki revealed himself to be the high cleric and that Schmebulock was now apart of his plans and that Oakley would have to give him up. The colonel refused and the two engaged in a mental struggle for control over Oakley's mind. Loki was amazed to learn that the dryad's resolve could not be broken by even a god. "Never underestimate a patriot's resolve boy!" -Oakley Boughregard on his stymieing of Loki The two eventually made a deal: Oakley would hand over Schmebulock (who would later be freed from slavery) and Loki would offer Oakley an airship (The CSS Virginia), an oath to never harm Dixie and it's citizens, and a favor for later. Oakley and Lucentio then sailed the rest of the way to Dixie on the new airship in triumph. Journey to Dixie Meeting with Governor Trunk Finally arriving back in his beloved homeland Boughregard was invited to speak in front of congress and the governor to present his diplomatic findings and recommendations. The colonel the affirmed his ultimate loyalty to Dixie and spoke of how Brassidas and his men were an inherent danger to the country if they should claim victory in the coming civil war. He suggested that princess was far more open to the ideas of southern democracy and that she would be more willing to recognize Dixie's sovereignty if the South pledged to fight alongside her troops against Brassidas. Trunk voiced his support but was cut down on the floor of the House of The Rising Sun but senators John C. Legume, Rootus, and Grasssius who proclaimed themselves the new rulers of Dixie and their support for Brassidas. Oakley quickly gave an improvised and passionate speech decrying their treason and fought off their minions while pledging to lead an army of patriots to restore proper government to Dixie. The public quickly sided with Boughregard who they now saw as the South's greatest champion. The Razing of West Virginia Oakley and Lucentio headed back the Boughregard's ancestral home of Bonbranch Manor to rally support only to find that it and most of western Virginia had been burned by Count Hapsberg and Chauncey. Oakley then swore a blood oath. "Why that dad gum, no-good, lily livered, yellow bellied, pussyfootin' son of a bitch! I'll carve him out and string him up by his entrails!" -Colonel Boughregard keeping a cool head in the face of difficulties Luckily, Oakley's son Woodrow had been saved by Boughregard's familial nemesis Old Man Hemperson. Declaring that in times of trouble even blood enemies must join together to save the sunny south the two put aside their difference. Much to Oakley's shock, Hemperson's daughter Chlorophelia revealed not only that she and Woodrow were in love and wanted permission to marry but that she was Oakley's editorial rival "Grasscus". Boughregard declared that he would not offer his decision until the rebellion was over. As Oakley's hirelings began to repair the estate he began to gather more and more support until his forces outnumbered those of the rebels. Boughregard along with Henry Hay and Lieutenant Governor Sandalwood agreed to meet with the rebels to negotiate their unconditional surrender but it was to no avail. However, Oakley was able to get Legume to agree to a duel. The Fall of Legume's Rebellion Boughregard and Legume fought in full view of both of their armies. After Boughregard claimed victory most of the rebel troops defected while Oakley slew Grassius and Rootus in the following battle. The enemy were quickly defeated and both Woodrow and Oakley were promoted to captain and brigadier general respectively. Lucentio was offered a medal. Cajun Toad and Big Daddy LeBaton Lucentio and Oakley the headed to Louisiana to visit Oakley's old friend (and southern mob boss) Big Daddy LeBaton. After being guided by Cajun Toad the two discovered that Big Daddy had allowed the yankees to slip past the Wall and Oakley swore another blood oath. The Sandalwood Years Begin After being kicked out of Lebaton's boat the two headed back the South's capitol where they convinced the new and reluctant Governor Sandalwood to commit troops against Brassidas. The South's honor had been challenged. First Encounter with the Northern Coalition Hector and Helena Strubz The two headed over to he northern coalition to speak with the Northern Coalition but fist meet up with Oakley's old friend Hector Strubz. Lucentio had an unfortunate encounter with his daughter Helena. The Council of Twenty The council agreed to an alliance and the empress agreed to the South's Independence and to give it half of the southern provinces. The treaty made Oakley the most popular man in Dixie and many saw him as the next governor. Audience with Consul Calgar The Cato Sicarius Insurrection The two then headed over to Consul Calagar's domain to speak with him personally. Oakley Immediate saw that his general Cato Sicarius was up to no good and went to inform the consul. The traitor tried to raise a revolt but was stopped by the two heroes who turned him over the consul for an execution. Return to Chateau Lucentio Afterword the two headed over the Chateaus Lucentio to meet Lucentio's beloved Caerdwyn who had some rough words for the Butcher of Broken Stem. Oakley: Ah so you're the lady of ol' Lucnetio here! Well allow me to introduce myself! Your's truly has the honor to be none other than Brigadier General Oakley T. Boughregard! Caerdwyn: You mean the Butcher of Broken Stem... The Gathering of the Juggalos The Heirophant Unfortunately Caerdwyn was kidnapped by the Heirophant's men to be sacrificed in an unholy ceremony. Our Heroes traveled to the capitol to discover that the Heriopahnt was really sinister Oni and the leader of the Juggalo cult. The two fought with him until they discovered that Chauncey was a member of the cult. The Death of Chauncey Lucentio convinced his brother that he was above the cult and the fob sacrificed himself to stop the Heirophant. Oakley was disappointed that he would not be able to kill Chauncey himself but later commended him for his sacrifice. The Ball Shopping Trip After mourning his brother Lucentio dragged the princess and Oakley to a shopping trip for the upcoming ball only to discover that Caedwyn had been kidnapped again. Caerdwyn's Kidnapping After searching through each of the mob districts the two tracked her to Count Von Hapsberg's Orestian palace. Audience with Count von Hapsberg After Lucnetio was breifly torutred by his father Oakley came to the rescue and brought the two to safety. Caerdwyn was sent to be looked after by the princess. The Siege of Oresteria On the day of the ball Oakley came up with an elaborate plan to assassinate Count Von Hapsberg and invited his actor friend and fellow patriot John Wilkes Root to be a distraction. After being attacked by Avitus Cassian the two attempted to put their plan into action only to discover that the city was now under siege by Brassidas. the civil war had begun. After blowing up the powder magazine Oakley evacuated civilians and the princess on the Virginia while Lucentio dealt with the enemy airships using the Lucentio Special. After giving the princess a rousing speech Oakley convinced her to continue her struggle and brought her to the safety of the north. Oakley's Departure Enter Atmos Slibard After stopping to refuel the two heroes encountered the washed up explorer and charlatan Atmos Slibard who joined their party looking for fame and fortune. Recognizing the old celebrity and the need for a boost of morale, Oakley allowed him to entertain the refugees with tales of his "daring deeds". "The man's a liar there's no mistakin' that but I must confess his ridiculous tales do lend him a certain charm" -Oakley Boughregard on Atmos Slibard Hildorfr Another encounter was with the moody Half- Orc Hildofr Half-bane who also joined up with the group. Though Oakley and Hildorfr got into a small fight Oakley hoped that by taking him under his wing the young warlock would mature as Lucentio had. "He's got courage i'll give him that but the boy needs to learn virtue! A man without virtue ain't much at all. -Oakley Boughregard on Hildorfr Half-Bane The Sammy Fortuna Incident Arriving in the domain of Consul Calagar the party discovered that the consul was being poisoned and the culprit was none other than Hildorfr's nemesis Sammy Fortuna. After preventing Hildorfr's arrest Oakley tracked down Fortuna and forced him to give over the antidote to Calagar's poison. Hildorfr was not done with him however and ripped out and ate his eye before killing him. To Arms in Dixie It was after this that Oakley received orders to return home to help fight the war. He parted ways with his friends and introduced his son Captain Woodrow A. Boughregard in the hopes that he would fill his shoes. War For Independence Upon his return Oakley was promoted to Major General and led his troops in the hopes leading some yankees to defect to Dixie, thus giving the country the new lands it needed for the planter class to grow along with the goodwill of its people. Though this strategy worked for a time the princess eventually broke her treaty and sided with Brassidas in a joint effort to bring Dixie into the empire. The war reached a stalemate as the empire's one million was unable to brake Dixie's four hundred thousand. However, the tide began to turn as the people elected Boughregard Governor by a margin of 60%. Following his lead the dryads joined together to use their magic to make Dixie and island thus, making it impossible to attack from land. With the Dryad's ability to control the weather the empire has found it impossible to reach Dixie from air or sea and it seems that Dixie's independence is secured. He did it. The crazy bastard actually did it. - Atmos Slibard on the secession of Dixie and Oakley's election. Worldview Religion * Like most Dixons, Boughregard is a devout follower of Southern Druidry and is particularly devoted to the teachings of Reverend Oatis Wheatfield. As result the colonel is certain that nature has given all things a purpose and that for something to go against that purpose is nothing less than a sin. Boughregard firmly believes that those creatures that fulfill their purposes in life will be incorporated into the great spirit that maintains the universe. While those who stray from their station will be reborn as demons who will live in a state of living hell until they reconcile with their purpose. Following Wheatfield, the Colonel like most Dixons also believes that it the purpose of all sentient creatures to use their reason and strength to provide for themselves, their families. Moreover, the Colonel also believes that sentient creatures are naturally communal and so each member of a community ought to work to create a community that give each member the best chance to lead flourishing lives. Aside from these duties Boughregard believes that sentient creatures were made to forge their own destinies in whatever way suits them provided it does not interfere with their other duties. However, as a disciple of Wheatfield, Boughregard does not consider gnomes to be sentient creatures and so possess an entirety different function. Boughregard firmly believes that stories of Adams Appletree and the Great Drought provides religious justification for their enslavement. Politics * Colonel Boughregard is a member of Dixiecratic party and often attends their meetings, writes in support of, advises, and campaigns for their candidates. His religious views have lead him to believe that though every man should be free to make their own decisions it is also their duty to serve their country in whatever capacity they are capable or in whatever way they are called upon. He sees military service as the ultimate mark of a man, civil servant and patriot as he sees that as the thing that provides other citizens with the safety to live their own lives. He has little desire for public office but would never refuse the call if he was elected to one and instead prefers to support the whichever candidate most closely reflects his own views. The most recent gubernatorial election was particularly vexing for him as he ended up supporting Donald J. Trunk over Bernie Sandalwood even though he actually shared much of of Sandalwood's overall sentiment. Boughregard has always been an admirer of former governor Thomas Hemperson and shared his belief that the planter's life was the height of sentient living and the goal of Dixie and any nation would be to create an environment where the largest number of people possible were capable of living it. However, Boughregard opposed two of Sandalwood's most prominent pieces of agenda; universal healthcare and education on the grounds that a proper druid should be able to take care if themselves and that education primarily rested the in the relationship between a child and its parents. Boughregard also suspects that Sandalwood is a closeted abolitionist and so him as dangerous to the confederacy. Though he disliked Trunk's economics he was thrilled with the idea of a wall to keep out "yankees" and keep in gnomes. He also respected Trunk for his anti-imperial rhetoric and anti-establishment rhetoric as Boughregard has always been a populist in the tradition of Governor Literal Hickory. As a patriot Boughregard believes "the South" to be an idea not a mere direction and has little patience for the empire and often refers to it disparagingly as "The North" as he sees it as opposed to everything the South or Dixie stand for. He also refers to it's inhabitant's and the inhabitants of anywhere outside of Dixie as "Yankees". He is distrustful of empire, despises the feudal system, would like nothing more than for Dixie to deal with empire as little as possible, and thinks that Dixie must constantly re-demonstrate its sovereignty. Though he does not believe that Dixie should not seek an empire of its own he does believe that is should seek new land by raising it out of the sea in order to help create new plantations to grant citizens financial security and Independence while paying off the national debt. Slavery * The colonel has always believed that slavery is in the best interest of gnomes who in his eyes are dangerous to themselves and others if left to their own devices. He believes it is the duty of every master to provide his gnomes with food, clothing, shelter, religious instruction, work, and "discipline". However, he believes that the individual circumstances of a plantation may vary. Boughregard is a believer in gnome corporal punishment but dislikes performing that himself and would rather overseers do it out of sight. He employs a monthly three strike policy where disobedient gnomes are given two conversations with him a month to "change their ways" or be beaten after the third infraction. He does give his gnomes one day off a week for religious instruction which he delivers personally and is mostly aimed at convincing them to accept their circumstances. He has the overseers measure how productive the gnomes are each day and moves the most productive into better cabins at the end of the month. The older "workhorses" are eventually promoted to house servants and are allowed to stay in the small rooms in the manor. The gnomes are grouped according to their day off and the different groups are encouraged to compete with one another. The group that is most productive that month is given another day off each week the next month and least loses their time off. All this is done to create the idea of "mobility" within the plantation. The colonel does pay his overseers well and aims to see them save enough to open their own small plantations someday. However he is often distrustful of them and is quick to fire one if he does not meet the colonel's satisfaction. Boughregard also dislikes purchasing gnomes and prefers that the ones that he has marry and birth children to replace the elderly population. Furthermore, most of the Boughregard's gnomes have become fairly docile as for generations gnomes not possessing these qualities were sold sold off. Hypocrisy * It these strange contradictory views (ie his belief in the dignity and equality of all people, except the gnomes who have oppressed been by the colonel and his family with a perverse science) that make Oakley Boughregard an extremely vexing character. Even his redeeming qualities like his of his love family and willingness to make sacrifices for what he believes to be right are in some way tied to his dark beliefs. As result, those not desensitized to the south's dryads are often left conflicted upon meeting him. Personality * Boughregard has gone through many changes throughout his life, starting out as starry eyed boy enduring a harsh childhood by dreaming of adventure to a faineant wastrel, to a patriotic warrior full of ideals, to a man enraptured in domestic bliss, to a man left broken from the death of a loved one, to the champion of the people. Though only considered middle aged by dryad standards Boughregard has lived a life full of stress and it shows on his worn craggy face. Nevertheless, he is a proud a defiant man who is filled with fierce determination, loyalty and stubbornness. He would rather die than betray the people, places and ideas he loves. Filled with optimism and Joie de vivre he strives to keep those around him in high spirits no matter how bleak the situation. He is never one to ignore a conflict and is always prepared to make sacrifices of any scale to make sure that when dies he will do so with the knowledge he did everything he could to serve his notion of justice. He is also a man with a terrible temper and often lets his tongue lose when he feels his honour is insulted. Though he does not relish it, this means he is capable of great violence and cruelty when he feels it necessary. * Stubborn, proud, prematurely aged, and stuck in his ways, Boughregard has remained unchanged by the war and remains the same boisterous old planter. Though he has lost many loved ones over the years he always tries to find happiness wherever he can, whether in the company of friends and family or in the beauty of the natural world he finds so blissful. However, the loss of his father, cousin, mother, wife, and daughter left him depressed and reclusive for many years only emerging from these funks after finding a new task to throw himself into. It is safe to say that he would be devastated if he were to lose another member of his ever shrinking family. Category:Characters Category:Alpha Campaign Category:Early Heroes